Entrepreneurs who Changed History 🌟
Johannes Gutenberg ushered in an age of mass literacy and learning in the 15th century through his invention of a printing press that used metal movable type.
This revolutionary innovation marked the democratization of knowledge, enabling information to be disseminated more quickly and cheaply to a broader readership.
Early Days.
1400, Birth — The son of a merchant, Johannes Gutenberg was born in the German city of Mainz and trained as a goldsmith.
Revolutionary Innovation.
1450, Age 50 — Printing was developed in China by 300 CE. Yet in 15th century Europe, copies of texts were still made by hand due to high costs.
Gutenberg’s press would revolutionize the printing process!
Thoughtful Design.
Gutenberg’s press’ design, based on a winepress, applied even pressure to paper, making the finished product more legible.
He combined this with metal movable type as opposed to ancient wooden or clay blocks.
A Bad Loan.
Scaling up his printing technology for commercial production required a large amount of capital.
So, he borrowed heavily from a local financier, Johann Fust.
Financial Ruin.
1455, Age 55 — Gutenberg’s method of printing spread throughout Germany. Despite this, he was not wealthy.
Tired of waiting for a return on his investment, Fust sued Gutenberg for the repayment of his loan where the latter had to hand over most of his printing equipment.
Significance.
The Gutenberg Press signified the dawn of a new age of mass communication, but its most immediate impact was spiritual.
For the first time, Holy Scripture and other religious texts could be rapidly reproduced and read by the general public, inspiring the Protestant Reformation that swept across Europe during the 16th century.
Shram is the subconscious thought of focus, self-growth and teamwork.
This article is a part of our series: “Entrepreneurs who Changed History” where we rediscover historic business figures who left a mark so deep that it changed the world we live in today.
